Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, over allegations that signatures used in a petition for her recall were forged.
The petition was submitted on Friday, following growing controversy over the recall process initiated against the embattled senator, who was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for alleged gross misconduct. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension came shortly after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Controversial Recall Process
The recall effort was led by a group of constituents, including Charity Ijese, who submitted a petition with over 250,000 signatures to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. However, doubts quickly emerged over the authenticity of the signatures, especially after leaked videos showed politicians in the state signing the petition.
Critics questioned how such a large number of constituents could have signed the petition within 10 days when only 120,000 people voted in the entire senatorial district during the 2023 elections.
On Tuesday, INEC confirmed receiving the petition but noted that it lacked key details such as the contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners. By Wednesday, INEC wrote to Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio, stating that the missing information had been corrected.
Senator’s Legal Team Speaks Out
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Victor Giwa, insists the signatures were forged and accuses the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State of orchestrating the recall attempt.
“Firstly, we are aware that those signatures were forged, and it is the act of APC members in Kogi State, who are desperate to remove her,” Giwa said.
He added that a petition had been submitted to both the Inspector-General of Police and the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, with a copy to be sent to INEC.
“The case involves forgery, which is a criminal offence. INEC does not have the materials to investigate this. They can only compare signatures, but we are alleging forgery, which only the police can properly investigate,” Giwa explained.
According to him, the police should conduct forensic tests to verify whether the signatures were genuine.
Also Read:
- Reps Push Bill to Ban Politicians Above 60 from Running for President, Governor
- Kaduna SDP Disowns El-Rufai, Says He Is Not a Recognized Member
Calls for Investigation Before Verification
INEC is expected to proceed with verifying the submitted signatures at polling units in the constituency. However, Giwa maintains that the forgery claims must be addressed first, especially since a related case is already in court.
“The case is in court, and INEC is aware. Secondly, we are now dealing with allegations of fraud. Some people submitted certain signatures, and others claim they were forged, which is a criminal matter. So, as an institution, I believe INEC should submit the signatures to the police for forensic analysis before proceeding with any verification exercise,” he said.
Ebira People’s Association Condemns Recall Process
Meanwhile, the Ebira People’s Association, a socio-cultural group in Kogi Central, has strongly condemned the recall effort, calling it a politically motivated attempt to undermine democracy.
The association’s Secretary, Baba Abdulrazaq, described the recall process as “electoral fraud” and a “coup against democratic institutions.”
“The Independent National Electoral Commission has illegally provided support to impostors, dissidents, and petitioners who claim to have gathered 250,000 forged and stolen signatures,” Abdulrazaq stated.
He urged INEC to avoid being used as a tool to subvert the people’s mandate.
With the controversy still unfolding, the next steps by INEC, the police, and the courts will determine whether the recall process will move forward or collapse under allegations of fraud.